Create a Positive Employee Experience Right from the Recruiting Stage

Creating a positive employee experience begins during the initial screening phase. Job seekers want to know medical sales recruiters see more in them than just the basic skills and experience.

In fact, of the 14,000 global talent acquisition leaders surveyed in the 2017 LinkedIn Inside the Mind of Today’s Candidate study, 63 percent said candidates report feeling valued when a recruiter reaches out.

These candidates want to learn more about the companies they’re applying to, including growth opportunities and how they’ll fit into the company culture. By taking a job seeker-focused approach, you’ll be able to place more top-quality candidates.

Here’s how to keep the focus on the candidate during the recruiting process:

1) Build and maintain trust

Not every candidate will be a great fit for the positions you’re trying to place. However, there are times when you’ll see potential in them for other positions, even if those roles are with another company.

No one likes to be rejected for jobs. However, candidates appreciate honesty. And above all, communication is key. Candidates want frequent and open communication about position status, but also about how they can improve themselves professionally.

They’ll be pleasantly surprised when you recommend another role, or give advice for improvement. This demonstrates that you care about them as an individual, not just as another cog in your job placement wheel.

2) Provide details on the day-to-day experience

Job descriptions are often vague or lacking in detail. Job seekers want to know more information about the position such as responsibilities, pitfalls, and more.

One way to satisfy this is by compiling “day in the life” presentations based on feedback from candidates that have been successfully placed or current employees. This can include everything from lessons learned, advanced skills, client interaction, and more.

While it seems counterproductive to include feedback about pitfalls of the job, candidates will appreciate the realization that the position comes with stressful situations. This information can be presented in such a way that the downsides are weighed against the positives.

For instance, if there is a great deal of travel involved, explain to candidates that this allows them to network with a larger group of clients and co-workers. Above-average compensation can be used a counterpoint to job-related stress, as well.

3) Offer inside knowledge

Most candidates have done their own research before the interview. Without an inside connection, however, they’re limited to publicly available facts. This is an opportunity to provide valuable information and insight.

For instance, the company mission and vision should be readily accessible on the company’s website or social media accounts. However, you can use your inside knowledge to demonstrate how the company actually lives up to these ideals.

This is also an area where you can expound on the company’s culture. If there are several photos of team members at volunteer events, you can confidently tell the candidate that the company is community-minded and share real-life examples. Charitable donations and outreach programs that align with the candidate’s values should also be shared.

Also, if the company schedules monthly celebrations to mark work anniversaries and sales goals, make this fact known. Candidates who thrive on praise and recognition will be attracted to working at the company.

If you’re aware of unique advancement opportunities, give as much detail as possible for the job seeker to factor that information into their decision. For example, some companies pay for training or advanced degrees. Candidates in need of specific skills to advance will be excited to learn about this perk.

By placing the focus on candidates beyond mere skills and experience, you’ll attract well-rounded professionals aimed at bettering themselves both professionally and personally.

Even if those candidates can’t be placed right away, by building trust and providing details and inside knowledge, you’ll build a talent base from where you can draw candidates for other positions.